TCA boys' soccer outlasts Hun

HAMILTON — High school players are sometimes guilty of comparing scores of games with other teams and thus looking past an opponent.

Yesterday, the Trenton Catholic Academy’s boys’ soccer team was guilty of just that as the Iron Mikes came into their game with the Hun School thinking that the Raiders weren’t going to be able to compete.

Fortunately for coach Sean Miller’s TCA squad, they recovered in time to come up with two second-half goals, including the game-winner by freshman Fomba Tulay, to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a Hun squad that might have played its best soccer of the season.

“We weren’t expecting them to play like they did today,” admitted Tulay. “Our guys were talking about the game in the locker room and they said this was going to be an easy game, but it turned out to be a hard one. We talked about it a halftime and we knew that we had to pick it up and come out ready in the second half. I think we learned our lesson.

“I finally finished on that goal, but I’ve got to finish better because I had a couple of other opportunities in the first half to finish but I should have shot the ball earlier and could have scored but I just waited too long.”

TCA was held scoreless in the first half by the methodical play of the Raiders and goalie Chris Meinert, who frustrated the laidback Mikes, stopping all seven first-half shots.

Meanwhile, Hun made the best use of its only shot on goal when Nick Ravano converted an outstanding pass from Alex Griese 31 minutes into the game.

It seemed like the halftime gathering worked for the Mikes because they came out with a little more fire to start the half and tied the game when Lendee Henry took a Tulay pass and blasted a shot past a diving Meinert.

Approximately 90 seconds later, Derick Carpio took a pass, quickly made a move to his right and then pushed the ball through to young Tulay, who didn’t waste time in poking the ball into the back of the net to put the Mikes up 2-1.

“I feel really comfortable playing with these guys, but I’m just getting used to the physical play that’s played at this level,” added Tulay. “I wasn’t really used to it and I know now that I’ve got to work to get stronger, but I’m getting to feel pretty at ease playing with these guys out there.”

Hun coach Patrick Quirk could find no fault with his team’s play, but would have like to have seen at least one of the two late-game scoring chance converted.

“I thought we played very well,” said Quirk, whose team will head to Newark to take on St. Benedict’s later this week. “I don’t know, but I guess they thought we were going to roll over because they beat us real bad last season (6-0).

“I thought we played very well on the technical side of the game. And we had a bunch of chances near the end and we never gave up. Our defense played very, very solid and it came down to the finish line, and we created a couple of good opportunities but we didn’t convert them.”

TCA coach Miller just shook his head afterward.

“That’s the second game where they thought that you just roll the soccer balls out and beat these teams,” said Miller. “Our guys must have remembered last year’s game but it was the best half we played against anyone last year, so I’m sure they remembered it.

“Guess what? They outplayed us today for a lot of the game. Then we came back and got two goals, but they got two very good chances near the end of the game. We’re going to have to realize that other teams are going to come in here and give it their best, and Hun did that.”